Her passion for the North Island is unlocking new career development opportunities with Port McNeill and Alert Bay.
While it’s marked as Alert Bay, Cormorant Island, on most maps today, the island’s ancestral Kwak̓wala name is ‘Yalis. It’s a key place within ‘Namg̲is First Nation’s traditional territory that has been home to people for millennia.
‘Namg̲is have invited people from around the world to ‘Yalis since their founding of the U’mista Cultural Centre in 1980, sharing Kwakwaka’wakw history and returning family treasures and potlatch artifacts that had been seized by the government during an earlier period of cultural repression.
Through ‘Namg̲is welcoming culture and leadership, a growing tourism industry has been developed that attracts international visitation to North Vancouver Island and seafarers on their way to British Columbia’s Inside Passage. For university student Gillian Holmes, this booming tourism industry provided her first opportunity to dive into her new role as Economic Development Officer for both the Town of Port McNeill and Village of Alert Bay.
“Gillian’s enthusiasm for the North Island has been beneficial,” said Lyle McNish, CAO, Village of Alert Bay, ‘especially with her overall willingness to work with our tourism partners including Port McNeill Tourism Commission, U’mista Cultural Society and the ‘Namg̲is First Nation. She has displayed local knowledge both in the meetings with our vital partners and with potential vendors. We are hopeful that with her involvement, we will have updated marketing opportunities moving forward.”
Holmes grew up in Nanaimo, but she’s always considered the North Island home. Telegraph Cove is her seasonal home and where she gained valuable tourism-industry knowledge. Her family has been involved in the Telegraph Cove resorts since the 80s and she has worked at the Whale Discovery Centre for several years.
She’s currently a UNBC student, studying for a Bachelor of Planning at the Prince George Campus. She’s directed her studies towards a career on North Vancouver Island, too, focusing on a major in Rural Community Planning, a minor in Indigenous Studies, and a certificate in Aboriginal Community Resource Planning.
“I reached out to the regional district and municipalities on the North Island with an introduction about who I was and asked if they had any positions available for a summer student,” said Holmes.
Brenda Johnson, CAO/CFO, Town of Port McNeill and McNish both responded about a joint Economic Development Officer Role, funded through the Trust’s Rural Advisory Program. It’s a shared position between the two communities, providing Holmes an opportunity to learn on the job.
“It’s been an amazing opportunity to learn about local government,” says Holmes, “and how these community’s work. I’ve just followed the lead of Brenda and Lyle, learning everything as I go. It’s a new experience, but I am learning about different programs and required policies that can support businesses.”
Her focus remains on tourism opportunities and collaborations in Alert Bay. In Port McNeill, she’s taken a lead role in the Complete Communities Report funded through UBCM’s Grant program.
“Gillian has been instrumental in identifying key stakeholder groups,” says Johnson, “arranging meetings with them, and collating the feedback. She has assisted in collecting key data and preparing it in a meaningful way.”
The previous Economic Development Officer was involved in Biking the Outer Islands brochure that was the last formal collaboration between Port McNeill, Alert Bay, and Sointula (Malcolm Island). Because that project went well, Holmes is exploring opportunities for future projects that bring different communities together.
“After spending time working in these communities professionally,” says Holmes, “I love the passion and how much residents care about their communities. I had already felt that way from growing up here.”
“Gillian’s organizational skills, time management, and general disposition have really helped to make this position a success,” says Johnson. “She is very thorough and ensures that she is meeting the needs of both communities. She has found a great balance between the two communities.”
Although her current position is temporary, Holmes hopes to return to the region in the future.
“Given the multiple governmental organizations on the North Island,” says McNish, “there is significant opportunity given general work demands, capacity needs, and succession planning for someone like Gillian – or anyone – who displays an interest in the North Island. If they’re adaptable to various types of governmental work, they’re likely to find a role.”
“If there is a fulltime position for me on the North Island,” says Holmes, “that will empower me to make a living, I will 100% return permanently. It’s where my heart is happiest.”
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Island Coastal Economic Trust partnered with the Town of Port McNeill and Village of Alert Bay, providing a $70,000 investment to fund Gillian Holmes’ role through through the Trust’s Rural Advisory Program. This initiative has been delivered by the Trust in 2023-24 on behalf of the Province of British Columbia.
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